


A Little Light in Hell

by ml101



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 13:27:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5335784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ml101/pseuds/ml101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by recent casting news for 5B of Once Upon A Time. 5x10 “Broken Heart” confirmed that Rumple has been to hell and back. Rumplestiltskin is in a coma...but his soul was somewhere else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Light in Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Many people think that when Rumple died when he killed himself and Pan, he went to Hell. I think it was during the time he was in coma that he went to Hell, basically he was in an in - between of Hell and the Living World.
> 
> The Darkness for me has a life of its own, yelling things to Rumple and like how it did for Emma, able to make Rumple do magic without his own consent.

His mind drifted. At first there was so much pain…and then nothing. He felt nothing. Was this how death felt like? In a way it was tempting…nothing. Afterall that was what he was for most of his life. Nothing. The Darkness had even shouted it at him more than once. Nimue had screamed it in his ear when Belle had kissed him. That nobody could ever love him without power. He was nothing without the Darkness.

_That’s not true._

Who was that?

_Come Rumple you have to get back to them!_

He didn’t know if he could. He didn’t even know if he wanted to do so. He just wanted it all to be over. Here he didn’t feel anything, didn’t feel any pain, won’t feel the heartbreak…

“I just want to let go…” he heard himself whisper. He heard someone object in the far distance as he slowly allowed his mind to disappear into the oblivion.

_Rumple_

He stopped. That voice…he knew that voice. But it wasn’t possible. With all the things he’s done to hurt her, she shouldn’t be by his side.

_She is Rumple! For crying out loud, you were never nothing! Don’t let go. Don’t end your life like this! I loved the man before the Dark One and he was not nothing. He made the greatest sacrifice to be with his son. Something I did not realize until it was too late._

Too late? No this couldn’t be possible. She hated him.

_I never hated you, Rumple. But I never truly loved you as well. I cared about you, yes but not as much as Belle does. Go back to her._

Can he? Could Belle even forgive him for all the heartbreaks he had made her suffer?

_It was the Darkness Rumple. Not everything was your fault._

But he had pushed her away. She had promised him forever but she was the one that banished him from Storybrooke, leaving him with nothing to fend for himself. Why should he go back? Back to where people never cared about him.

_Don’t listen to the Darkness Rumple! They’re trying to get your soul! You’ve done something that not one of them could! You escaped the end of the curse! You fought for your freedom! Don’t let the Darkness take you again!_

He suddenly felt the pull downwards. Something wanted him to stay where he was but then he remembered Belle again, her smile as he fixed his tie, the way she kissed him when they were married.

_That’s it Rumple! Think about Belle! Don’t let go! Fight the Darkness as you’ve done for centuries!_

He was so close but then other thoughts flooded his mind. There was no way Belle loved him anymore. She was with Will. She had a new life, a life without him. Nobody loved him, nobody cared…he was nothing.

_Don’t listen to them Rumple! Listen to me!_

**Why should he listen to you? You never cared about him.**

Voices filled his own head that he could hardly hear his own thoughts. All saying the same thing. He was nothing. He was pathetic. He was a coward. No one could love him. No one cared about him.

_Rumplestiltskin will listen to me because I am his wife! Now get off your arse Rumple and fight these devils who want your soul!_

He felt someone take his hand and drag him forward. He struggled to follow as the pull from earlier strengthened.

_Think about Belle, Rumple. Listen to her voice. That’s not inside your head. She’s by your side. She wants you to wake up!_

Images of Belle filled his head and those urged him to move forward, the pull weakening and from a distance he saw a faint light.

–

“Where–?”

Rumple blinked through the brightness that surrounded him. Before it was all black, now it was the opposite. It was all white. Then he felt something in his hand. He turned to see another hand holding his own.

“Hello Rumple.”

Rumple’s eyes widened and he made to let go but the woman only tightened her hold on his hand. “It’s ok.”

“Milah…” began Rumple and that was all he could say as he collapsed on his knees and cried. “Milah, I’m so sorry. So sorry…” His other words were drowned by his sobs and he felt Milah kneel down beside him, taking him into her arms.

“I know Rumple,” said Milah, hugging him tight. “I’m sorry too.”

Rumple didn’t know how long they stayed like that but Milah knew she had wasted enough time already.

“You’re not supposed to be here, Rumple.” said Milah as she helped him stand. “It’s time for you to go back.”

Rumple could only nod as he let her lead him somewhere. “Why did you help me?”

Milah smiled at him, tightening her grip on his hand. “I wasn’t go stand there and let you give up. I did that before and I regretted it ever since.”

“Milah–”

Milah turned and touched his face with her other hand. “You don’t belong here Rumple. You have a pure heart. There’s a reason why you fought the Darkness for centuries. You are a good man.”

“I don’t think I am,” cried Rumple. “Why can’t I just stay here?”

“The same reason you stopped letting go earlier,” she replied with a smile.

_Rumple_

He turned to the direction of the voice and Milah took both his hands.

“Go Rumple. You deserve this chance.”

“What about you?” asked Rumple as he turned back to face her.

“This was never about me,” said Milah. “They need you. Our grandson needs you. She needs you.”

Rumple nodded as he felt tears stream down his face. “I love you Milah.”

“I love you too my spinner.” Milah leaned forward and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Now we’ve wasted enough time.”

She let go and Rumple watched her disappear right before his eyes. Belle’s voice growing stronger, calling him.

Before he felt nothing, now he felt relieved. It was like a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Maybe it was the Darkness but a part of him felt it was the weight of having killed his wife…he had finally made amends. If he could do that with Milah, then maybe just maybe, he could fix things with Belle. With that thought Rumple took a deep breath and stepped forward into the light.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve always wanted a friendship between these two. Why I wrote them as best friends in Storybrooke Times in the first place :)


End file.
